In this episode, we sit down with a longtime force in the local punk scene, Willie Allen, also known as Mr. Slim Pickins (and sometimes Azazel Jezebel). Raised on hardcore and still keeping the spirit alive, Willie is as active as ever: he’s currently playing in five different bands, collaborating on music for a local theatrical production, and constantly pushing the envelope.

Willie shares how he writes songs, the artists who inspire him, and how the music scene evolved during the pandemic.

Plus, Willie treats us to a live performance of one of his songs, and we close out the show with another Mr. Slim Pickins track.

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Intro music: 

• Parkinson Rock Intro, Music by Jean-Paul Verpeaux from Pixabay

Guest Artist Songs:

• “Scarred Shitless” (performed live) by Mr. Slim Pickins
• "Real Emo" only consists of the DC Emotional Hardcore scene and the late 90's Screamo scene” by Mr. Slim Pickins

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Follow Mic Check, Please! on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other fine podcast platforms.

Help keep the mics on and "Buy Me a Coffee!" Your support would mean the world to me! https://buymeacoffee.com/miccheckplease_podcast

@miccheckplease_podcast

Solo gigs are a highwire act: no band to lean on, nowhere to hide. Just you, your guitar, and a crowd that may or may not be listening. That’s the life Miguel Angel has chosen, playing sets in Bryan and College Station, TX at The Local, Century Square, Rountree Market, and the P.A. Smith Hotel in Navasota, TX.

In this episode, Miguel talks about what inspires him, how he gets his head right before stepping onstage, a local speakeasy, advice for beginners, and why the sunglasses aren’t just for show. It’s the story of a working musician making his mark, one solo set at a time.

Intro music: Parkinson Rock Intro, Music by Jean-Paul Verpeaux from Pixabay

Outro Music: "Outro (White Smoke)" by Endless Love

Support the show

Follow Mic Check, Please! on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other fine podcast platforms.

Help keep the mics on and "Buy Me a Coffee!" Your support would mean the world to me! https://buymeacoffee.com/miccheckplease_podcast

@miccheckplease_podcast

Go backstage with us for a conversation with Alan Green Jr., the 2022 Texas Country Music Awards Drummer of the Year and the driving force behind country star Jon Wolfe’s live shows and on the album Live at Billy Bob’s. I caught up with Alan just a couple of hours before Wolfe’s concert at the Palace Theater in Bryan, TX, recording the interview right on the band’s tour bus (that low hum in the background? That’s the bus. Hope I was able to bring you a fully immersive podcast experience!).

Alan opens up about how he landed the gig with Jon Wolfe, what fuels him night after night on the road, and how he stays sharp, both physically and musically, while touring. He also dips into the cultural and personal roots that shaped his path, and gives us a glimpse into his solo project, Alan 2G. Also: Key West, Hard Rock Tulsa's Rock Star Suite, and other conversational wanderings.

Down-to-earth and refreshingly candid, Alan shares a glimpse into the day-to-day grind and joy of being a working musician. We wrap things up with his brand-new single, “Outside,” now streaming on Spotify and everywhere else you can find music.

Support the show

Follow Mic Check, Please! on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other fine podcast platforms.

Help keep the mics on and "Buy Me a Coffee!" Your support would mean the world to me! https://buymeacoffee.com/miccheckplease_podcast

@miccheckplease_podcast

This episode is brought to you with ugly bumps and all. We recorded in Sweet Eugene's House of Java in College Station, Texas so there's background noise, long pauses, and times where I couldn't think of the right word... You get it all!

I talk to Mikaila Palm about her new magazine, Ambiance Magazine, that explores the local music scene in the Bryan/College Station area as well as surrounding areas (Houston, Austin, Waco, etc).

How did she get started, who's playing in the local scene, and what's next for Ambiance Magazine?

She also recommends I listen to Bran the Mystic and we'll hear "Amen Sane" by them. Honestly, this song blew me away. It's a new favorite on my spotify playlist and I've listened to it a LOT. It's kept me up at night with the vocal hook playing in my head... "Roses in the garden will bloom beneath the daylight, nothing's changing my mind.." You gotta hear this song.

Make sure you follow Ambiance Magazine on instagram @ambiancemag_

And you can follow Bran the Mystic on instagram here @branthemystic and experience the song "Amen Sane" on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/558DVlYYk4nF5zXurnUs8R?si=1030ea5c682c4521

Coffee and Drinks Sponsored by Jorge Goyco

Support the show

Follow Mic Check, Please! on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other fine podcast platforms.

Help keep the mics on and "Buy Me a Coffee!" Your support would mean the world to me! https://buymeacoffee.com/miccheckplease_podcast

@miccheckplease_podcast

This is the first episode recorded with a Zoom H5 at Sweet Eugene's Coffee Shop in College Station (background noise, clanking dishes, table bumps and all!). 

Jorge tells me a little about his trip to Spain, customer service, seeing Iron Maiden in Madrid, what music he's made recently, the art project that compliments the music, and his thoughts on Monster Boners (one of the songs included in the 8 EPs he's produced since January!).

About two thirds the way through (at 18:45) we play "Monster Boners" and talk about the music and other sensitive subjects.

An interesting first episode for sure!! 

Next week, I’ll be speaking with Mikaila Palm who just started up Ambiance Magazine. There’s a lot of music and art in this woman’s life! Make sure you follow the podcast so you don’t miss it!

Music at the show opening and closing is "Floor Kisser" by Me. Extinct:

https://open.spotify.com/track/0Dx3UdXIuGim0c0HostGHM?si=58a5508084314493

Monster Boners: https://open.spotify.com/track/6RgaRTrmXnhIf0UyPaIhrj?si=df1a03c096964d6e

Find Jorge Goyco / Me.Extinct on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4qbCO6iN5C7ktvC1xMEbRr?si=Us7_MOJRRHCMcwcYk3pFgg

Coffee and baked goods by Sweet Eugene's Coffee Shop, College Station, TX

Support the show

Follow Mic Check, Please! on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other fine podcast platforms.

Help keep the mics on and "Buy Me a Coffee!" Your support would mean the world to me! https://buymeacoffee.com/miccheckplease_podcast

@miccheckplease_podcast

In this two minute introduction episode I tell you what we're doing here. 

Mic Check, Please is part backstage pass, part mixtape, and all heart. I’ll be sitting down with musicians, artists, and the people who orbit those creative spaces to talk about how they make what they make, and why it matters.

In a couple weeks, there will be a killer first episode featuring Jorge Goyco. I've already got other guests lined up who are ready to sit down with me and spill the beans. 

Go ahead… follow the show…. so you don’t miss it!

Mic Check, Please is recorded on location and produced independently — usually with caffeine, and always with no budget.

Thanks for checking out Mic Check, Please. 

Come back and join us. Coffee’s on me!

Support the show

Follow Mic Check, Please! on Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other fine podcast platforms.

Help keep the mics on and "Buy Me a Coffee!" Your support would mean the world to me! https://buymeacoffee.com/miccheckplease_podcast

@miccheckplease_podcast